You Precious Thing
by Justified Wings
Summary: Currently in progress. Sarah must help the Underground again in response to the wishes of a troublesome youth being granted. What has happened to the Goblin King, however, and why can't he do things himself?
1. Prologue

**You Precious Thing**  
Prologue  
The Meaning of Words

With a wave of the hand, so many things happened. For one person, it was a loving caress upon the face. For another, it was the stinging pain on one's flanked rear. For Sarah, however, it was another thing.

She reached for the blue pompous hat upon her head and heaved a sigh. How she wanted to yank it off, tassel and everything, and throw it into the air. She just wanted things to be done. She didn't have anything to look forward to, and felt it was best to pretend this day had never happened.

She could hear her parents giving cheers and cries of exclamation. She was certain they were merely thinking about the times they would cherish once she had moved out. Gee, those were encouraging thoughts. She wished that she could just go through her high school years again. That way she'd never have to grow up and face the burdens of becoming a full-fledged adult.

To be honest, she was frightened. Frightened of the things to come. Frightened of her future. Had she the power of foresight, or even believed in such things, perhaps she would not have been so terrified.

While her fellow peers were headed off to prestigious colleges and universities, she was stuck in town. She knew her grades weren't good enough to get into any of the foreign colleges or U.C. systems. With her kind of luck, she probably wouldn't be able to get into a college at all. She pictured herself this crazy, white-haired old woman with fifteen cats and a Ph.D that she got off of one of those "take classes at home" television programs.

As her name rang out over the PA speakers, she pushed herself through the crowd and over the stage as the principle for her four previous years handed her the rolled sheet of paper with her name on it.

Amazing. Words on paper could affect anything and everything. After all, all colloquial languages were made up of words. Words were powerful, hurtful, loving… and indescribable. Sarah liked words. She liked using big ones that made her sound smart. Not that she wasn't smart. It just seemed that she often made unwise decisions or chose poor ways to confront her problems.

She could hear her stepmother scolding her from the third row for not smiling. What was there to smile about? She was graduating from high school and becoming an adult, never again to reap the joys of her childhood fantasies. Sarah didn't want to grow up. She wanted to have responsibility, but on the other hand, she knew responsibility was difficult to maintain. She wanted to dress up and play with her stuffed animals. She wanted to have fun, not work her tail off at some job where she wouldn't be happy. Want, want, want. Need, need, need. In Sarah's mind these two things were the same.

She gave a sigh of relief when she was finally dismissed from the stage. And then moments later, her peers threw up their hats and tassels into the air as they cheered. She waited for that moment as the others around her began to take off their graduation robes. Amongst the distraction, Sarah kneeled down and took her tassel into her hands gently.

_Maybe you will be needed in the future… like a good luck charm. Knowing me, I'll need all of the luck I can get_, she told herself.

After she folded up her robe nice and neatly, she bid a bittersweet farewell to some fellow classmates, and then headed through the front doors of the school to meet her family.


	2. Chapter 1 Graduation Aftermath

**You Precious Thing**  
Chapter 1  
Graduation Aftermath

"Sarah! Princess! Baby doll," her father crooned as he rushed over to her.

He raised his hands to her face and Sarah cringed, thinking he was going to pinch her cheeks. Instead, she felt him pull her into a tight, secure embrace. Nothing felt as good as a father's hug sometimes. A brief pang of sadness washed over her when she realized that since she was growing up, she would be forced to leave her father behind. And then the feeling vanished as she gave a small smile.

She murmured softly, "Daddy…" Normally, she would've hated for any fellow classmates to overhear it, but at that particular moment, she didn't care. She wished that she could control time—just for a moment—so she could cherish this time as much as possible.

"…Sarah. Sarah. Sarah…? Are you listening to me?" That rude obnoxious voice broke into Sarah's thoughts.

Sarah pulled away from her father and turned to her stepmother. Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked over the older woman. She looked nice. Her golden hair made Sarah think of angels with lovely halos. Too bad her stepmother didn't resemble that image at all. Sarah's stepmother had always been strict. Not to an unhealthy level, but enough for the rebellious side of Sarah to show. Since her father had gotten remarried, Sarah had not been fond of the woman he chose as his wife. However, over the years, Sarah envied her friends who'd had good relationships with their mothers. Sarah really wanted to have that same bond, but she just couldn't bring herself to accept the woman.

Sarah placed her hands upon her hips. "I'm sorry. What were you saying? I was distracted."

Her stepmother folded her arms over her chest, "Don't take that tone with me, young lady. You need to be more observant and responsible. After all, you're the one driving us to dinner today." She gave a very light smile as she reached into the pocket of her pants, withdrew a set of keys, and tossed them to Sarah.

Sarah nearly dropped them, but then grasped gently. "W-what? You want _me_ to drive?" Did her parents remember what happened after the first time she got her license? She glanced down to the keys and raised an eyebrow. They weren't for either car that belonged to her parents. "Are these the right keys…?"

Her stepmother's expression remained light. Finally, it seemed like Sarah was paying attention to something. "They're the right keys. As a graduation present, your father and I decided that you need your own car, so you can go out and do things. Of course, you have to help us pay for the insurance once you get a job. When you finally make enough money to support your own insurance then you can have the car under your name."

Sarah was certain her parents had gone crazy. This wasn't like them at all! Usually they were tight with their money. And since when did they care about what she was doing with her spare time? She kneeled down to the young boy hugging the back of her leg. She smiled as she ruffled his bright blonde hair. "But what about Toby? He needs me to be there to take care of him." She picked him up and swung him around a couple of times as he giggled.

Not too long ago, she never would've said anything like that—

Sarah's father broke into chuckles, "Sarah, I know you two are very attached to one another, but you will have to let him go sometime."

Sarah's face flushed a lovely rose hue. "Dad, you're making it sound like I'm all grown up. I've only just graduated from high school. How can you say things like that? I don't even have a college picked out!" Sarah's voice became high and shrill.

Her stepmother pointed her index finger to her accusingly. "And guess whose fault that is, young lady? That's yours. Try to remember what you told your father and myself."

Sarah's eyebrows knit together again. What _had_ she said? Had she really been so preoccupied as to randomly say things? "I don't know what you're talking about. Remind me…?" On the other hand, she wasn't particularly sure that she wanted to know what she'd said. More than likely her stepmother would find a way to blackmail her with the information.

The stepmother folded her arms over her chest again and shook her head in disbelief. "Sarah, Sarah, Sarah. I faintly recall you saying that you didn't need to go to college because you were going to be an actress. You said you were going to get by on your looks and charm." She gave a sigh and her look hardened, "You probably got that ridiculous idea out of that little red book you always have your nose in."

That took the matter a little too far. "That 'little red book' is one of my favourite books. It's taught me some very important lessons. Not that you'd understand. You're only interested in your own plans. I'll respect your opinions, but don't you dare insult my intelligence or the things that have a great impact on me." Sarah knew what book her stepmother was talking about.

Three years prior to the moment, she was reading a book entitled _Labyrinth_. The story was actually a theatrical piece that she grew quite fond of. She had not been so understanding when she was younger. The results of her actions and feelings were nearly fatal. She had put Toby in danger because she felt she was a slave to him and the rest of her family. She'd made a very long journey through a land called the Underground. She wasn't going to let someone else be judgmental over events that she held very close to her heart.

Sarah's father shook his head with disapproval. Would this bickering between the two ever cease? He had no desire to get involved, but this was becoming an every day ritual and quite ridiculous. "That's enough, you two. Sarah, try to be more respectful." He then glanced to his wife. "And you, my dear, you should do the same."

Sarah's stepmother heaved a sigh. It was slightly humourous, but perhaps the two didn't get along because they were so alike. They often had the same mentality, so their interests clashed with one another. "Shall we go to dinner, young lady?"

Sarah glanced between her parents and her eyes narrowed. She was expected to let her stepmother insult her very being and then just move on? She couldn't comply with that. She just couldn't! She shook her head and handed the keys back to her stepmother. "I just want to go home. It's not that I don't appreciate what you guys are trying to do for me, but I'm not really in the mood to celebrate. Give me a couple days and maybe that will change. Please… let's just go home."

Her parents exchanged glances and then nodded. They knew it was going to be a long ride home.


	3. Chapter 2 Toby's Imagination

**You Precious Thing**  
Chapter 2  
Toby's Imagination

As foreseen by her parents, the trip home did seem long. Sarah pouted in the back seat with her arms enfolded over her chest. She knew she wasn't going to be easy to get along with for the next couple of days. That was the price parents paid for insulting their children.

When they arrived at the house, Sarah found refuge in her room. As she walked in, she closed her door, leaving just a creak, and looked around. Her room was her sanctuary. There were stuffed animals, costumes, and things from her childhood everywhere. She dropped her handbag next to her bed and then she sunk down into her chair in front of her vanity.

She lifted her hair brush and began to pull the bristles through her soft brown hair. "Sometimes my parents make me so mad, you know? I wish they'd try to see things my way." She replaced her brush and withdrew a small red book from the first drawer on her right.

The book was dusty, old, and the pages were starting to fall out. No matter how ratty it would turn, Sarah knew she would never replace it. Her lips curled into a vague smile, "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great…"

And then a gruff voice broke into her recital, "You have no power over me. That's it, ain't it?"

A bright smiled broke over Sarah's face as she glanced into the mirror. Her eyes traced over the tanned, wrinkled flesh of the dwarf's face. His hair was just as white as she had remembered. "Hoggle!" She leaned forward, in an attempt to hug him, and then smacked her head against the glass. As she heard Hoggle chuckle, she felt all of her anger dissipate.

As time had passed, she saw them less and less. Therefore the time they shared was cherished and treasured. Sarah's voice softened and she placed her hands upon her lap. "Hoggle, I'm so happy to see you. I've needed you… and the others so bad. I just kept feeling that I should try to make it on my own… but I still need you guys anyway."

"My lady, this is why we're here. We know that you have had many troubles. You know that you can count on us for anything, anytime." The voice was high, shrill, followed by a lower grunting sound. He was the only one who referred to her as "my lady".

"Sir Didymus! Ludo! You guys are here, too…" Sarah felt a little confused at first, but then her heart began to lighten. "How's home doing?"

Hoggle started to speak and then he gestured behind Sarah. As she turned, she saw Toby leaning against her door. She smiled as she stood up and walked over to him. "Hi there. What's wrong?"

Toby's blue eyes glanced to the mirror and then up to his older sister, "Sarah? …Monsters…" He pointed at her mirror, full of puzzlement.

Sarah reached out her arms and she picked him up before wandering back over to the mirror. She knew that Hoggle and the others had probably left. Toby was only about a year old when he was taken away to the Underground. Although she often told him stories of what had happened, she didn't feel it was appropriate to bring his memories fully back.

She turned around and pointed at her stuffed animals, replicas of the real set of friends from the Underground. "They're not monsters, Toby. They're my friends. This is Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus." She cuddled Toby as she grinned. "If you're nice to them, they'll be your friends, too."

"Sarah!" Her father shouted from downstairs. Sarah cringed when she heard him. He didn't sound very happy, but then again, it was often difficult to decipher between anger and serious when it came to him.

She placed Toby upon the ground and ruffled his hair. "Play nicely with them, all right? I'll be back in a few moments." She dashed out of her room, throwing the door open.

Toby glanced between the three new characters that his sister had just introduced to him. For all of his life, he had known the feeling that Sarah was dear to him. His memory was a little fuzzy, but she seemed different now than what she once was. She'd been busy recently and so were Mommy and Daddy. Toby, although usually happy and carefree, had been feeling lonely lately. Nobody played with him anymore.

_I wish I had someone to play with,_ he thought to himself.

For a brief moment, an image appeared in his mind. There was a mess of tangled blond hair. There were two different coloured eyes… blue and brown, he had recently learned. And last, there was that smile and that cheerful voice. Who was this man…?

"_I think I'll call him Jareth. He has my eyes."_

The image stuck in his head, but he couldn't place a name with the face. _I wish I had someone to play with…_ His head jerked when he was certain that he saw the creature called Hoggle move. _That toy is moving. But… toys can't move, can they…?_

Toby remained still for a few moments and then watched as Hoggle and his other companions make their way to Sarah's vanity. As they crawled up to the mirror, Hoggle reached out his right hand and the glass of the mirror rippled.

A bright flash of light! Toby closed his eyes tightly and when the light vanished, so had the creatures. _They left…? Wait! Don't leave me here! I don't want to be alone!_ Toby's eyes brimmed with tears as he starting to cry.

_Then why don't you follow them...?_

Toby hesitated when he heard the voice. It sounded so familiar. It wasn't didn't sound like something that was bad. It took some effort, but he climbed onto Sarah's chair and then onto the first shelf. As he leaned his forehead toward the mirror, he felt as though he was being pulled in. Then that light returned and his eyelashes fell again. This light… felt like a warm blanket. He felt secure. He felt invited. And as the light pulled him in, he vanished through the mirror in Sarah's room.

Sarah paused by her door, carrying linens. Her door had been thrust closed by the force of the light. She put the sheets within the closet in the hallway and then returned to her room as she looked around. "Toby…" When she didn't see him, she gave a sigh. "She must've taken him out somewhere. Probably afraid that him being here would affect his thought process in a bad way." Sarah scoffed with disbelief.

She felt a little sad that the reunion with Hoggle and the others was cut short. She'd really been looking forward to talking with them. She supposed it would have to wait until later. For now, she was only given the option of enjoying her summer vacation. After all, what else was there to do? What else did she really want to do?

**-x-x-x-**

"_Which way do you want to go…? Up, or down?"_

Toby's eyes were filled with wonderment. What a beautiful world he'd found himself in! He was among trees and bushes and little winged creatures. Although it was pretty, Toby didn't find it as nice as lush green plants. It seemed more like he was in a desert. He knew what kind of land was what because he had done much looking in picture books and recognized some of the words.

The first thing that caught his eye was the rather tall wall in front of him. It seemed like it was going on forever! As he looked around, he remembered what sort of place it was. _Sarah called this a labyrinth, like in that book she reads to me._

Toby pushed himself off the ground and wobbled from side to side as he walked. He could feel the gritty dirt collection on his knees and hands. It was necessarily a bad feeling, but Mommy had always insisted that he keep clean. He stopped at the wall and gave a soft sigh as his tiny fingers pressed against the hard stone.

_I wish there was a door… or something._

No sooner had he thought those words when he felt himself fall forward onto the ground. His eyes welled over with tears and he sniffled. He glanced over his shoulder and then his tears began to vanish. The wall had disappeared! Well, at least a portion of it had. The point was… Toby had a guardian angel! Someone had heard his plea and helped him out. It was like when his diaper was wet and he'd cry. Mommy or Daddy would change his diaper and it was like they understood him! It was total magic! He had the ability to help others understand him!

Toby sat up and he looked around. Contrary to the lovely outside, it was darker on the inner. The walls were not welcoming and loomed above the young boy, casting intricate shadows upon the ground. Toby reluctantly pushed himself along. The path was straight and long. There weren't any openings, doors, windows, or anything. Not that he could see anyway. After trudging through the shadows and dodging tree branches, he stopped and slowly turned around. There was a path in the opposite direction identical to the one he was on. He sighed and sat down. Already his small feet were getting tired. He wasn't even wearing shoes. He was sure that Mommy would scold him once she found blisters and calluses on the bottoms of his feet. Maybe he should have turned back and return home, but… how? He'd gotten in by going through the mirror in Sarah's room, but there were no mirrors where he had arrived. Deep in his stomach formed a pit of fear, uncertainty, and doubt. If only he could find that kind person with the tangled blond hair.

_I wish there was just one straight path instead of me feeling lost and confused…_

Again, as the thoughts almost reached his lips, he watched his surroundings spin. It only caused him more confusion and he placed his hands over his eyes tightly. His stomach became filled with knots and he almost felt he was going to be "sick", the excuse Sarah used to use when she wanted to get out of going to school. When he finally thought it was safe, he peeked through the cracks of his fingers to see that there was a single path leading to a far off stone castle. The castle… When Toby laid eyes upon it, he felt some kind of familiar happiness. Without even realizing it or understanding why, a smile crawled across his face. He pushed himself off the ground and decided to start his journey again. After what seemed like ages—which was really only about five minutes—Toby sat down again. The castle was just so far away! It was going to take him years get to it! Why, he'd be an old man by the time he got to the front doors.

Toby heaved a soft sigh and then shook his head. He was getting tired. How nice it would feel if he could take a nap and resume his journey after regaining some energy. He was also wishing he'd brought some cookies or some lovely creamed peaches. Any of those bottled foods would've been fine. He loved those! He started to learn forward and his eyelids began to grow heavy. Then he lazily shook himself awake.

_If only the path wasn't so long. Then I could get there much quicker. I wish the path was shorter… or I wish I was really, really close to the castle._

Toby felt his feet move, as though they were no longer under his control. And then moments later he found himself on the bottom of a staircase leading up to the front entrance of the castle. He turned around and then gave a gasp of surprise. There was a city behind him and yet, he didn't remember walking through it.

"_Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you have stolen."_

Was it merely a coincidence that a place like in the story existed? Perhaps there was more to the tales that Sarah used to lull him to sleep with.

Toby suddenly felt a cold chill. It only lasted for a few moments, but it was enough to even cause him to hesitate. He turned and then his cheeks turned a rosy hue when he saw the looming figure.

It was all the same. It was just as Toby had remembered. Toby's eyes traced against the familiar cloak, the staff with the crystal atop it, the piercing eyes, and then that tousled blond hair. This was the man that Toby remembered.

This was that man.


	4. Chapter 3 Fall of the Goblin King

**You Precious Thing**  
Chapter 3  
Fall of the Goblin King

The figure raised a hand and pulled his fingertips through his hair. His lips curled into a smirk as he looked down at Toby. As he spoke, his voice seemed just as charming and exotic as ever. "My, my, somehow the little babe has returned."

He kneeled down to the child, his grin growing even more as he reached out his hand and ruffled Toby's hair. "Did you come by yourself? That's interesting…" He trailed off as his smile vanished. He was partially disappointed. It'd been three years since he'd laid eyes upon the only female who'd captured his heart.

"So… She didn't come with you, eh Toby? And you came all this way on your own. Such a pity."

Jareth moved his right hand over his staff and it vanished. He knelt down and pulled Toby into his arms. Jareth swayed him back and forth and he appeared to relax. When he took Toby the first time, he found a very tight bond existed between the two. Jareth had been the only human he'd ever seen in the Underground. When the lovely young woman and her younger brother appeared, Jareth didn't feel quite so lonely.

Jareth's voice emitted a chuckle as he nodded slowly. Things were going to become clear now. As soon as she found Toby was missing, she'd put the pieces together and then she'd come back to the Underground. He could use this to his advantage. He glanced down to Toby and raised him into the air to examine him.

"You've certainly grown a bit… You must be quite a handful for Sarah." His eyes sparkled with happiness. At least it looked that way. Jareth often had tricks up his sleeve and was quite skilled in manipulating others. He took great pride in knowing that he could charm just about everyone. He was even able to coax Sarah into falling in love with him. Of course, she was only fifteen at the time, so she was fickle with her affections and she was naive.

Toby watched Jareth enviously as he tilted his head to the side. He had the same warm feeling that he'd seen in his dreams. Toby had this feeling that like Sarah, this man was very important to him. Toby reached out his left hand and poked Jareth in the nose, as the Goblin King gave a laugh. And about that time, Toby understood the kind of bond there was that existed. Toby saw Jareth as a father figure.

As Jareth pulled Toby back against him securely, he heard Toby murmur. "Daddy..."

That kind word touched even Jareth's dark heart, and he closed his eyes as he nuzzled Toby gently. "That's right, babe. I'll be your father, your guardian. I'll protect you from everything."

Toby grasped a lock of Jareth's hair gently. He gave a contented sigh. _I wish I was just like you..._

Jareth hesitated for a moment and a sharp pain struck within his heart. Slowly he sank down to his knees, releasing Toby from his grasp. Such a sensation! He planted his hands upon the ground and closed his eyes. Jareth _had_ been feeling rather ill lately. Perhaps he was just unaware of how difficult maintaining one's health could be. He felt his skin tighten and when he finally looked up, he saw a figure who looked similar to him. There was a difference in hair length and the colour of his eyes. Jareth narrowed his eyes at the other. "Who are you...?"

The figure gave a chuckle, eerily like Jareth's. The young man was beautiful. Of course, he had to be seeing how he was almost a spitting image of Jareth. As he spoke, he almost seemed like he was mocking the original. "Why, this is me… Dad. I'm surprised you're not more pleased."

Jareth pushed himself off the ground and brushed himself off. He placed his hands together to form his staff. Even after concentrating for a few minutes, he couldn't get it to appear. _This can't be…! What's happened…?!_ He shook his head quickly. "Toby…what did you do? Why have you done this?!"

Toby laughed softly and withdrew Jareth's staff from the air. "Were you looking for this, Jareth?" He brushed his hands together and a spherical crystal formed as he threw it toward Jareth. It stopped in front of him and formed a mirror. "I've discovered since I've arrived here that any wish I make will come true. I merely wished to be like you. Now I no longer have the fear of lacking authority. I'm no longer a child. I don't need you to play with me anymore. I have all the power I need to get the things I want."

Jareth examined his reflection. He looked almost the same, but there was something different. "What have you done to me…? Why have you done this?" He wasn't really sure what was going on or how it came to be. Anger was replaced with confusion. "You intend to throw away what freedoms you have as a child?"

Toby cackled with laughter. Freedoms as a child? Jareth was being foolish! Toby pointed his staff at him and an eyebrow arched out of amusement. "My dear former Goblin King, sometimes the things you say completely contradict that exterior I so liked about you."

He was quiet for a moment, contemplating what actions to take. He brought his hands back to flip up the collar of his mahogany vest. "You have an awful taste in clothes, Jareth. Then again, I'd nearly forgotten that you've been around for ages, so you're the only one capable of dressing yourself now." He took a couple steps closer to him. "The other thing I realize is that you haven't quite remembered what it's like to be a child. Perhaps I should bring back those times." He watched Jareth's reaction carefully. He knew Jareth was trying to remain calm and rational. He shook his index finger back and forth. "On the other hand, I think I'll leave you at your twenty years now. It'll be fun to play with your feelings. _And_ it'll keep your grubby hands off of Sarah, seeing how she won't recognize you now." Toby knew that was going to irritate him something terrible.

Jareth narrowed his eyes at Toby and gave a dejected sigh. There was nothing that he could do. Toby already had the upper hand. The imagination was indeed a powerful thing. He enfolded his arms over his chest and tilted his head to the side. "So what are your intentions, Toby? Are you so insecure as to mimic me because you know you're nowhere near as good as the original?"

Toby clenched Jareth's staff within his tight grasp and then murmured in a low voice. Above them the sky was becoming dark and a shadow began to fall over the land. The goblins started to come out of their houses, curious about the sudden changes in the city. As Jareth's army laid eyes upon the Jareth twins, they began to creep toward them.

Toby glanced to the growing crowd, and his lips rose in a twisted grin. This was exactly what he wanted to happen. Now Jareth couldn't interrupt his plans. Toby pointed the tip of his staff at Jareth again. "My fellow goblins! This man before me is an imposter! He is attempting to take over the labyrinth. Come! Let us purge him from this land!"

Jareth almost couldn't hide his anger. He shook his head quickly and straightened his composure. He looked between the goblins and Toby. "Look between us and decide for yourselves who the true Goblin King is. I'll tell you now, there _is_ a difference." The wind pulled his hair around his face, and his expression grew grave.

The goblins glanced between the two. Of course, they weren't very smart. Jareth wasn't sure about depending upon them to make the right decisions. And then the goblins spoke.

"They look the same to me!"

"They're wearing the same clothes too!"

Then the leader of them pointed to Toby. "The one with the crystal is the real one. Jareth is the only one with the power to wield such magic. That is what makes him the Goblin King!" Then the leader turned to Jareth. "This man is the imposter." The leading goblin began to step toward Jareth and the original took a couple steps back.

Within moments, Jareth was tackled by his own fellow disciples and they dragged him through the Goblin City and upon reaching the entrance, they threw him out.

Jareth sank to the damp ground as his hair fell into his eyes. How unfortunate things had turned. The young man he'd felt so close to had betrayed him. Or perhaps it was his fault for underestimating the boy. Whatever it was, he was paying the consequences.

Jareth sighed as he thought about the way he saw himself in Toby's mirror. He _was_ younger looking. He had always liked the way he looked, but now that he was younger, he was starting to like that appearance more. Now… he just needed to find a way to get his title and castle back.

And then Sarah popped into his mind again. Of course! She was going to come back for Toby. He could just follow her and then at the last moment, he'd get rid of Toby and regain his honour. He looked around once more and finally stood up. He wondered what powers he'd been left with. And finally, he wondered what he was going to do next.

**-x-x-x-**

Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus were traveling around the labyrinth when the shadow fell. They'd been in the forest by the Goblin City, and Hoggle took off when he heard the front door slam shut. It took Ludo to pick him up to keep him from running away.

"Dearie me, I wonder whatever that could've been. Ambrosious! Come, and let us go find out!" Didymus was overcome with enthusiasm. How long had it been since he'd marched into battle?

Ambrosious whimpered softly. After three years and counting, he'd actually gained some courage. However, there were still times when he didn't want to put up with frightening battles. He scuttled over to Ludo and hid behind the large yeti.

Sir Didymus gave a sigh of disbelief, "Ambrosious! Don't start with that again! I thought thou were stronger than that! Do not be as the once valiant Sir Hoggle!" He shook his left paw at Ambrosious in a scornful manner.

Hoggle started to struggle angrily within Ludo's grasp until he was released and he dashed over to Didymus. Within moments he'd taken his spear and beat the fox over the head with it, "Call me a coward, why don't you! After you commended me for my bravery!"

Sir Didymus cried out in pain each time he was hit. He brought up his hands to shelter his head. "Ai! Ai! Yip!" He started to cringe. It didn't hurt too terribly much; he was just wishing that Hoggle didn't lose his temper so easily.

Ludo stopped sheltering Ambrosious and stepped in between the two as he grumbled, his eyes giving off a slight sadness. "Hoggle… Brother friends. Shadow comes." He raised a hairy paw above them and the forest was blanketed in darkness. Only the light of the pixies could illuminate the forest for navigation.

Hoggle and Sir Didymus looked up to the sky and their squabble was forgotten. A cold, icy wind blew through the forest, causing Hoggle to shudder.

He grumbled unhappily, "Something is rotten in the Underworld. And it sure ain't Jareth's power. There's somethin' terribly wrong." He shook his head slowly. And then he turned to the others. "We need to call Sarah. We're gonna' need her help this time." He had wanted to see her again, but this might've been the way. Would they only meet in times of trouble?

"What an absolutely splendid idea, Sir Hoggle! Our fair lady would be more than willing to help us out!" He paused and looked around hesitantly. "The problem is… How do we get to her…? We'd have to go back to the start of the labyrinth in order to see her again."

The three sat down in a circle while Hoggle began to make a fire. They'd have to make camp for the night. Maybe it'd be easier to make their way to the beginning by morning.

Jareth slipped through the forest quietly. That was one thing he always excelled at. He was very good at hiding himself, very good at sinking into the shadows. He paused when he heard Hoggle's voice, and a smile came to his face. "Aha. The protagonist…" He inched a bit closer to them and peeked around a rather large tree. He saw the three familiar characters sitting around the fire and he watched them carefully. They seemed as though they were deep in thought. What could they be thinking about, though? They were close enough to the Goblin City to hear the commotion. Surely they had seen the shadow cloaking the world in all its dark glory.

After a few minutes of silence, Ludo gave a loud sigh. When he spoke, the disappointment in his voice was apparent. "Ludo sad… no idea…" He raised his furry paws and placed them over his eyes as he shook his head slowly.

Hoggle stood up and he kicked a couple rocks out of his way. "I feel the same, Ludo. We gotta get the little lady here. I ain't waitin' for tomorrow to come. How come there just ain't no way to get to her?" He started to pace back and forth. He was getting nervous. Something wasn't right. They all knew it. He'd never felt so powerless except against Jareth. Damn that Jareth anyway.

Sir Didymus was roasting leaves over the fire as he spoke. "How do we find a mirror this time of eve? It's not like a mirror is going to come out of nowhere."

_A mirror… That's what they need? That's how they keep in touch with her?_

Jareth had an idea. Maybe, just maybe, if he concentrated enough he could bring a mirror to his aid. Of course, maybe he could wish for one and get it. The second idea seemed unlikely to happen.

_I wish I had a mirror…_

After standing around for a few minutes in silence, he scowled.

_I knew that wouldn't work._

He folded his arms over his chest thoughtfully. What else could he do? He shook his head slowly in a manner of distaste. It meant that he was going to have to concentrate and at least make the attempt to try.

"_So the labyrinth's a piece of cake? Let's see how you deal with this slice."_

As a crystal sphere formed between his hands, Jareth smiled. So he wasn't completely powerless. He pulled his hand back and thrust the sphere forward, mimicking Toby's spell of creating the mirror. As soon as the sphere left his hands, Jareth found himself falling forward in pain. There was a price to pay for each time he used magic. There was going to be no pointless spell casting. He'd have to wait until Toby was gone before he could charm Sarah.

When he regained the strength to stand, he slowly took a couple steps closer to his mirror he had created. So now he had the mirror, but how was he going to get to her? Maybe if he stuck around longer, he'd be able to hear Hoggle or one of the other two blurt out the secret. On the other hand, time was growing short, and they all needed Sarah present as soon as possible.

Jareth brought up a hand to his pendant and he fingered the small ruby ring. It wasn't his, but since it was given to him, he had vowed to protect it until he found the owner. His fingers brushed over it, and he smiled fondly. Where she was was where he wanted to go.

_Sarah..._

And as he thought the name, his inner desire to see her granted him access through the mirror. As his outstretched hand grazed against the smooth glass, the mirror's surface rippled and then swallowed him whole as he vanished into a flash of light.

Ambrosious caught the flash in the corner of his eye and he released a loud yelp of surprise. Sir Didymus, sitting next to him, nearly found himself falling into the fire.

He turned to the almost fully white furred dog and regained his composure. "Ambrosious, what was the reason for such a disturbance to the peace?" He noticed the poor dog trembling and he walked over to him. As he peered around the tree, he saw Jareth's mirror. "Sir Hoggle, Ludo, look at this! Fate has smiled upon us! I believe yon lady has sent us a sign!"

Hoggle and Ludo quickly joined Sir Didymus' side and examined the mirror. It was lovely, full of exquisite detail and encrusted jewels. Perhaps that had been why Hoggle knew that there was more to it than what met the eye. As he glanced to the ground, he saw shards of crystal stained with a ruddy hue. As he picked up one, he held it towards the dim light of the twin moons.

"This was made by Jareth..."


	5. Chapter 4 Return to the Underground

**You Precious Thing  
**Chapter 4  
Return to the Underground

Jareth reached out a hand to steady himself and looked around. He was halfway through a mirror. Below him was the shelf of an oak dresser. He carefully made his way off the dresser and then edged over to the door. He peeked around the corner of the frame to make sure there was no one else around, and then closed it gently. And as he turned again, his eyes traced against the familiar curvaceous figure. Her long brown hair curled around her face and her lips parted slightly as she gave a contented sigh. There she was, the reason for much of Jareth's inner confusion.

Jareth sat upon her bed as he leaned over her. He reached out a hand as his fingertips brushed her bangs from her eyes. He smiled gently. He'd waited so long to see her again and he was glad for that. She was just as beautiful as she had been those three years ago. He spoke softly as to not disturb her.

"Sleeping, Sarah…? When the Underground is in danger? How easy it would be for me to stay here if I knew that I would not be needed. However, I have a feeling that in this world, I could not be accepted. I shall just have to pull you back into mine."

He took her right hand within one of his and he removed her ring from his pendant and then replaced it upon her ring finger. And then he raised her hand to his lips and he planted a most ginger kiss against her creamy flesh. He grasped her hand gently and used his other hand to slip beneath her neck and lift her head. She was so beautiful, a princess in disguise. He had to have her. At least he needed her by his side… as his trophy. She was a dazzling prize for any prince or king.

Jareth released her hand and placed his fingertips to her lips. It was just as he'd predicted. She was soft to the touch. He pulled back when he knew the temptation was too great. He had to make a decision. And within his heart, he already knew what he was going to do. It was time to take his princess back to the Underground.

His only concern was that she would awaken while he was abducting her from her room. If she did, he'd be forced to plant a sleep spell upon her (and endure that horrible pain that came along with it).

_I can only hope it won't come to that. Be a good girl, Sarah, and things will go as they are needed._

With those thoughts, he brought her into his arms and made his way back to the mirror of her vanity dresser. As he began to reach for the mirror, he hesitated. What happened if he didn't know where he was going to end up? What if he went through this mirror and came out of the one in the Goblin City? That would lead to disastrous results.

Finally, he decided that Toby's mirrors probably weren't random and he'd more than likely arrive back in the forest. The sooner they got to the Underground, the sooner Sarah could start her journey with the others, and the sooner he could take his kingdom back. He let his hand touch the mirror and after another brilliant flash, Jareth and Sarah were gone.

Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus, and Ambrosious were still standing in front of the mirror, trying to figure out where it led to. They weren't able to gain access, probably because Jareth had extended the power to himself and Sarah only, and they had thought about breaking it. Anything made by Jareth couldn't be that good the group had mused. When the mirror blinded them with white light, Hoggle and Ambrosious started to make a quick getaway, but Ludo and Sir Didymus pulled them back. The four shielded their eyes until the light subsided.

Jareth stepped out of the mirror, still carrying the sleeping Sarah within his arms. He paused when he saw her friends and then raised a hand to cloak most of his face. He didn't want to be recognized if he could help it. Of course, Toby had helped out with that some.

Hoggle lowered his hand first and gave a low grumble when he saw Jareth. He saw the face, but he was certain it wasn't the Goblin King. There was a difference. However, the thought that someone other than Jareth was coming out of Jareth's mirror was slightly disturbing. "And who are you?!" He pointed an accusing hand at Jareth.

Jareth refrained from a sigh. He wasn't sure how he got so concerned about being deemed familiar. He was after all, very much not the same from his "normal" self. The largest inconsistencies were the looks and the aura of his power. He lowered his hand and handed Sarah to him, "Explain what's happened when she awakens. She'll need help along the way. It would be such a shame if she was forced off alone." He turned his back to Hoggle and faced his mirror.

Hoggle nearly fell over when he took her. Of course, Sarah was much bigger than he was. He raised a free hand angrily and shook it at Jareth, "You didn't answer my question! Who the heck are you?! And what makes it your job to tells me what I gots to do, huh?!" The irritation didn't really come about because he was telling Hoggle what to do. It was more because Hoggle was jealous. Here this guy had probably gone all the way to Sarah's room to get her and Hoggle had no idea who he was. And Sarah had never mentioned him either.

Jareth turned to the dwarf who was throwing a temper tantrum and he chuckled. "There's nothing between us. I merely brought her here to protect the labyrinth. Don't get the wrong idea."

He was pretty sure that answer wouldn't satisfy him. He still hadn't said anything useful. He pointed to himself, "I'm not important. Don't ask pointless questions in desperate times. All you need to know is that when there is a need, I'll offer my services."

He gave a small wave of his hand. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have something to take care of." Without waiting for a response he turned back to the mirror and brought his hand forward. The glass shattered and its pieces fell to the ground. He turned to the others and gave a vague grin as he bid farewell. And within moments, he vanished into the shadows and the four exchanged glances of confusion.

Sir Didymus looked to Sarah and then to Hoggle. "Sir Hoggle, was that man a friend of yours? He seemed rather nice. But he had the most peculiar look about him." Then he pointed to the broken mirror. "And not only did he come out of the Goblin King's mirror, but he also destroyed it. What an interesting person he was."

Ludo gave a sigh. That man _was_ strange. Ludo thought it was nice that Sarah had friends like that. "Sarah… friend." He walked over to her and patted her gently. "Ludo tired, too…"

Sarah struggled slightly and then gave a stretch as she yawned. "Mmm…" As her eyelashes lifted, she looked around and then gave a small smile. "Hoggle!" She sat up and turned to him, after finally coming to terms that she was no longer in her room. "I'm so happy to see you all!" She hesitated for a moment and then pulled Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus, and Ambrosious in for a hug. As she buried her face in Ludo's fur, she murmured. "How did I get here? Did you guys bring me?"

Hoggle scoffed as he shook his head. So she really didn't understand how it came to be. "We didn't bring you here, Sarah. Your Prince Charming did. How come you didn't tell us you had other human friends here in the labyrinth?" He folded his arms over his chest.

Sarah tilted her head to the side, more than just a little surprised. "Prince Charming?" She laughed and shook her head quickly. "That's funny, Hoggle! You should know me well enough to know that I'd have nothing like that." Her smile grew and she stood up to brush herself off. When she noticed the broken mirror, she paused for a moment and then glanced back to the others. "What's this?"

Sir Didymus looked up at her and then pointed to the mirror. "Is My Lady sure that she has not once seen a mirror before?" He sounded so serious that Sarah couldn't help except to break into chuckles again.

She shook her head again, still laughing softly. "I know that, silly. I was wondering _why_ there's a broken mirror in the middle of this forest. This isn't something natural unless the rest of you have suddenly decided that this makes a nice decoration in the Underground."

She leaned forward to examine the mirror, her smile retained upon her face. It certainly was pretty, broken glass and all. She brought out a hand and brushed her fingertips against the lustrous metal. The intricate design made it seem as though it was out of place. She could see the glittering shards upon the ground, but then she noticed others that seemed like they didn't belong. As she picked up a larger piece, she stared at her reflection. When she saw the glint of the ruby stone on her ring, she looked to her hand. She lifted it and examined the ring as she raised an eyebrow. It was in perfect condition. She was sure she didn't have it on before she fell asleep in the evening.

Hoggle glanced to the reflection and his brow mimicked hers. "Sarah, how did you gets that back?" Guilt washed over his expression. He was the one who'd caused her to hand over her ring… all because he was too sentimentally attached to his lovely jewels. At least she had the ring back.

Sarah gave a small shrug of her shoulders. In all actuality, she'd forgotten all about the ring. If she ever found the person who found it for her, she was definitely going to thank him… or her, as the case might be. Then she turned her attention back to the mirror. "So answer my question. What's going on? How did I get here? _Why_ am I here?" She didn't want to sound like she wanted to go home. She just wanted to understand the situation further.

Hoggle paced back and forth, contemplating where he should start. The beginning was a good place, he'd heard. "Well, you see, Sarah… We were out here in the forest and a dark shadow suddenly fell over everything. We ain't sure what's going on, but there's definitely somethin' wrong. So we were going to make camp here and then get you in the morning…" Hoggle trailed off as he looked up at the sky and sighed, "…Which is really about now. Anyway, there was a great flash of light and a mirror appeared." He pointed at the mirror that Sarah had felt so attached to. "That mirror there. And so we were lookin' at the mirror… and you know, it was made by Jareth. I found out because I found a shard of crystal like what you're holding now."

Sarah glanced to the shard in her hand and her lips parted with surprise.

_That's why it looked different. Why would Jareth make a mirror here… or any where for that matter?_

She was never comfortable with trusting anything closely related to him. He'd proven time and time again that he was a sneak. He was manipulative and probably a womanizer. And yet, when she was younger, he was exactly the kind of guy she wanted to date. He was smart, clever, and good-looking. There was a mysterious aura that surrounded him. And for some reason, she had always been attracted to him. She couldn't help except wonder how he'd changed or how he would see her as she was a few years older.

Hoggle broke into her thoughts as he was completing his explanation, "Well, we stuck `round here and then a light from the mirror appeared. When the light faded, a guy stepped out of the mirror carrying you." He raised a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "He looked sorta like Jareth, but he definitely wasn't _him_. He had a really strange feelin' to him. Didn't appear to have any magic either. I ain't never seen him in the Underground before. I thought maybe he was another friend of yours, but he said it was nothin' like that. He left you here an' told us that the Underground was in danger. And then he said that if and when we needed it, he'd "offer his services"." Hoggle shook his head slowly. "Don't know why he didn't stick around. He seemed real smart, like he knew what was goin' on."

Sarah felt her cheeks fill with that rose hue. A man had brought her to the Underground? A man… who looked like Jareth? She wanted to meet him. She wanted to know how he knew her. Her heart fluttered once. She wanted to confront him to find out why he was helping her and where he had come from. She didn't like being left in the dark. And how was she supposed to help the Underground? She wasn't exactly all-knowing.

When she thought she couldn't handle the pressure anymore, Ludo tapped her upon the shoulder. "Sarah and Ludo, friends." He tried to sound encouraging, but as a yeti, his voice lacked the typical warmness one would expect.

Sarah smiled as she placed a hand upon his and nodded. How could she possibly think she was alone when she had the support of her best friends? "You're right. We're all friends here. I know you guys will help me. For a moment, I thought I was going to have to do this on my own. I'm aware of what's happened, but I'm a little lost on how to go about fixing it. What should we do first?" She looked around to the others to see what they had to say. If they were going to investigate, they needed to have some sort of direction.

The other three remained silent, pondering how to respond. Sir Didymus was the first to speak. His tail wagged as he spoke, so it was easy to see that he was excited to be giving his input. "I think we should ask the inhabitants of the labyrinth if they've noticed anything suspicious. We could even go outside of the labyrinth. Who knows what's out there?"

Hoggle turned to him and shook a fist at him angrily, "Yes! Who knows what's out there?! Faeries that will bite harmless people! I sort of ran out of faerie spray too. How's 'bout this? Let's not go outside the labyrinth and let's just converse with each other. I mean, let's not go into places like the Goblin City or stay in this forest too long. You know, I'd rather be in an oubliette. Let's go make a visit to our local friendly oubliette, shall we?" Hoggle started to sneak away from the other four when Sarah grabbed the back of his vest.

She pulled him back to her. "Why do you always have to get so scared? Things are not always what they seem in this place. Aren't you the one who told me I took too much for granted? Hoggle, you coward! You're not going anywhere!" Sarah reached for his bag of jewels, but he quickly pulled them away.

He struggled for a few moments and gave a sigh. "I ain't goin' nowhere, Sarah. I've learned my lesson. I won't be as I once was. I promise. So don't take my property!" He jerked out of her grasp and turned to her as he waddled. "You took too much for granted back then. And then we's wormed our ways into your heart and we became friends. It was because of you that I gained such courage in the first place."

Sarah smiled and she nodded. "I know. I remember, Hoggle. My mind is full of the fond memories from back then. That was really fun when you took all of the bad out of it. After returning home, I was sort of wishing that I could control time and stay that age forever, but I'm happy to be the way I am now… sort of. Either way, we have to stick together. It'll sound corny, but we can do anything as long as we stick together and we trust in one another."

She gave a sigh as she folded her arms over her chest, "Back to the point. Hoggle, do you have any ideas as to how to investigate this? Any input is better than none at all or running away." Sarah nudged the dwarf playfully and then started to head back to where the campfire had finally gone out.

The others followed behind her slowly. Hoggle in front and the other three behind him. He paused by Sarah when she stopped before the pile of blackened wood. "Well, Sarah…" She looked preoccupied. He couldn't blame her. She'd been given a lot of useless information. Hoggle got the idea that perhaps he shouldn't have told her about Jareth. She'd obsess over it, and if that happened then rescuing the Underground was going to take much longer than anticipated.

She turned to the dwarf and tilted her head to the side. "What is it, Hoggle?" Her lips raised into that kind smile, "Do you have an idea on where to start?" She really could use all the help she could get. She had already brought lots of thoughts with her from home. Now she was given more and she just wanted to enjoy her time with her friends.

Hoggle nodded quickly. He could almost sense her desperation. After all, even Jareth had told them to help her. If he hadn't said anything, they would've done it anyway, but the fact that he had meant she would _need_ it. "I _do_ have an idea. Instead'a rushin' into things, let's consider our options. Let's talk about what could've and couldn't have caused this. Was it Jareth? Or was it someone else? And we're sure that it wasn't the man who brought you here." He began to count off of his fingers, still listing off possibilities in his head.

Sarah nodded slowly as she listened to him. That _was_ a good idea. She smiled when he finished and she leaned down to hug him, "That's wonderful, Hoggle! You're right."

She began to pace back and forth slowly. So where were they going to go first? They needed some kind of evidence to start the search. There was no one to interrogate and she was sure that she didn't really want to come across the wild gang of Spartans and Fireys or other strange creatures. As long as she didn't have to take off her limbs, she could survive.

She turned to the others and nodded. The first place they needed to go was where the first sound had been heard before the shadow fell. "Hoggle's right. It's possible this shadow was caused by the Goblin King. As strange as it sounds, we have to talk to him first. Whatever information he gives will help us in some way. He's not the type of person who's going to lead us off somewhere without at least one clue." In hindsight, she realized she was defending him. Even after all of the time that passed, there might've been feelings that remained.

"...How's `bout we skip Jareth? I don't think I really want to see him. I'm lucky he didn't throw me into the Bog of Eternal Stench after the last stunt we pulled. Goin' to him is just askin' for trouble." Hoggle wasn't afraid for his sake, but he was _sure_ Jareth would find someway to take Sarah from that. That, he couldn't bear. Without Sarah their party wouldn't last that long. They'd been lucky to get so far on their own before she arrived.

Sarah laughed softly and she shook her head, "Remember, as long as we're all together, we can overcome anything. We can't do this without you, Hoggle, and we're not going to let you go off on your own, so you have to come with us." She reached out her hand and took one of his. Glancing to Ludo, she did the same for him. It was funny. The two who were thought to be the toughest, were really the two easiest to scare. "Come on, Sir Didymus. Don't forget Ambrosious. We need to get to the Goblin City."

Sir Didymus nodded and placed a foot in one of the stirrups as he mounted Ambrosious. "Come, noble steed! There's nothing stopping us now! We shall reign in victory and peace will soon return to the Underground!" He patted the soft, shaggy fur and then Ambrosious led the way towards the Goblin City.

**-x-x-x-**

As they traveled, Sarah tried her hardest to focus upon the matter at hand. She was glad that they had finally decided upon a destination. Although she was acting calm, she was a wreck on the inside. Suppose Jareth _was_ the one causing the shadow? What made her think she could take him on again? It was like walking into the bigger fish's mouth willingly. Sarah was just asking for some kind of punishment.

When they reached the entrance to the city, not even the doors would budge. The path leading past the cold, unwelcoming walls was withered away, as though someone or _something_ with the aura of death had touched the part of the land and it was beginning to atrophy.

Sarah looked around with wonderment and she shuddered. There was an uneasy feeling that came over her. She inwardly decided that she wanted to leave the area as soon as possible. As she approached the front iron doors, she tried to pry them open, but finding the attempts fruitless, she gave a dejected sigh. Even with all four of then trying, the two sets of doors remained stationary. Sarah gave a groan of frustration and leaned her back against one of the doors thoughtfully.

_How come the door isn't opening? What could possible be holding us back? Great. We're so close to getting a clue as to what's going on, and we're stuck all because a door chooses not to open!_

A voice broke through the silence and caused the others to refrain from acting irrationally. "The hidden power you possess has not been released. Until it is, that door shall remain closed. Your journey is going to be a difficult one. However, I have reasons to believe you may be successful."

Jareth slowly moved into the light, the breeze carrying his blonde hair over his shoulders. Hoggle gave a gasp and pointed at him, "That's him, Sarah!"

Sarah lifted her head quickly, nearly lost her breath, and in a matter of moments, she felt the darkness envelope her and she began to fall into oblivion.


	6. Chapter 5 The Gift She was Given

**You Precious Thing**  
Chapter 5  
The Gift She was Given

Jareth pushed himself forward and caught Sarah before she could collapse. He glanced to the others and raised a free hand to point off into the direction of where the mountains of waste laid. "She's strained herself. Get some water. There should be a well in that direction. Past everything you see there."

Hoggle and Sir Didymus exchanged looks. Which one was going to go? Hoggle wanted to make sure Sarah was going to be all right. He didn't quite trust the Jareth look-a-like either. Sir Didymus didn't want to leave Sarah either, but he wasn't as distrusting. The dog responded first, "Come, Sir Hoggle. Let us fetch yon lady some water. Come, Ludo." His tail wagged back and forth happily.

Hoggle almost couldn't believe him. Did he really trust that guy with Sarah? _Alone?_ He leaned into Sir Didymus' ear and spoke somewhat gruffly, "You better have a _damn_ good plan."

Sir Didymus nodded as he chuckled weakly. "Of course, Hoggle. Now come! Our fair lady needs our help!"

He squeezed the sides of Ambrosious with his feet and the dog began to move. The other two followed him back into the forest toward the direction that Jareth had motioned. And as soon as they were sure they were out of his view, they put gathering water on hold in favor of watching _him_.

Hoggle gave a shrug. Sir Didymus _had_ had a good idea after all. He lurched over to watch Jareth and Sarah. Ludo eyed the two eavesdroppers and looked around until he found the well. He took Hoggle's canteen carefully and then filled it to the brim with water before closing it.

When he was done, he held up the bottle and pointed at it as he spoke gently, "Ludo found water." When he wasn't given a response, he shrugged and watched over the two of them.

Jareth kneeled down and held Sarah within his arms. They really would need a lot of help. He wondered how much he could possibly give. As long as Toby didn't find out, everything would likely turn out well. When he finally sat upon the ground, he briefly wondered if it was all right to follow her. Supposed she discovered his identity? Jareth knew that she'd distance herself from him if she found out.

He raised his head and sighed in disbelief, "Where _are_ those "friends" of hers? I'd rather not waste my time in hunting them down." He scoffed. If he'd known they were so unreliable, he would've done it himself. Instead of waiting for them any longer, he let Sarah lean against the doors to the entrance of the city and stood up, brushing himself off. He placed a hand over his other and he formed another crystal. Then he turned to Sarah and tossed the crystal up toward her and it shattered, the shards disintegrating.

Jareth's eyebrows furrowed as he held back the initial wince. His lips turned down in distaste as he raised a hand to his chest. Each time, the pain increased. There really _was_ a price to pay. He turned from her and then keeled over bringing the free hand into his hair. He almost couldn't stand it. He was more than sure that he was being tested. Where did his loyalty lie? With himself, for his sake, or for her benefit?

Sarah's eyelashes lifted and she blinked a couple of times before things came into focus. She felt warm and she wasn't nearly as tired as she had been before. Her eyes traced up against the cloak, the upturned collar, and then the shaggy blonde hair. He looked just like him. Her heart began to pound and she could feel her face redden. Her lips parted and she spoke softly, as though it was sacred to utter his name.

"Jareth…?"

Jareth straightened his composure immediately and then turned to face her. "You've awoken. How do you feel?" He brushed himself off and walked over to her, offering his hand.

Sarah looked up at him. He wasn't Jareth…? The face and the eyes were so familiar. She felt just like she had when she'd danced with him. That moment was surreal… just like the present. She knew her cheeks were still rosy and bright. "What… are you?" She hesitated as she placed her hand within his.

Jareth pulled her to her feet and then released her. He watched her carefully and his lips curled into a smile. She always had been a lovely creature to look at. He shook his head slowly, "Names aren't important. All you need to know is that I will help as much as possible. I am sure the others have disclosed the situation to you."

Sarah had a difficult time pulling herself together. Her mind was here and there. She was partially angry with herself because she felt so vulnerable. It was like three years before all over again. She felt like she was shrinking back into her fifteen years of age. The man before her couldn't have been much older. He looked young—not in a bad way, of course. Sarah's eyes fell to his pendant and she gave a soft gasp. The coincidence became too close.

Instead of overreacting, she tilted her head to the side and pointed to his neck, "Where did you get that?"

Jareth raised a hand to finger his pendant and he smiled. She'd grown observant. He pointed to her ring almost as if to mock her, "I could ask you the very same thing. Some things are not meant to be shared with others. However, in your case, I happen to know it's difficult to satisfy you."

He pulled his hand back and raised it to rest upon his hip, "It was a trophy. A prize, if you will. The death of one can bring about the happiness of many."

Sarah's jaw dropped. What did he mean by that? Did he… Did he killed Jareth…? Was he the new Goblin King? But if he was why was he helping them? Did that mean he wasn't responsible for the shadow? And Hoggle _had_ said that he was the one who brought her to the Underground. What were his intentions? She remembered the way Jareth had been. He was good at acting. He was capable of tricking people into misinterpreting his actions. Maybe the man before her was the same way. Maybe he was helping them for some ulterior motive.

Sarah hesitated before speaking. She wasn't really sure how to pose the question. "Are you… the new Goblin King…?"

_Please say no… or something negative…_

She could feel herself cringe as Jareth took a couple steps closer to her.

When he finally stopped, Jareth broke into chuckles. She looked so frightened, so uncertain, and he almost felt a pang of guilt for causing such discomfort.

"_Fear me, love me, just do as I say and I will be your slave."_

He regained his composure and folded his arms over his chest. "I am not the Goblin King. There's no relation. I'm merely a guardian of the labyrinth." He nodded to reassure her, his lips playing upon a vague smile.

A guardian of the labyrinth? The labyrinth had a guardian? Really? Somewhere in the back of her mind, Sarah was thinking about Hoggle, wondering where he and the others had disappeared to. They quickly fleed from her mind. She started to pace back and forth thoughtfully.

"So if the Labyrinth has a guardian, how come you came to my world to get _me_?" If he was like any other guy, she was sure he would deny it and to counter that, she was prepared. "And you can't tell me you didn't because Hoggle told me you did. Hoggle doesn't lie." Often.

_I hope._

Jareth scowled. Damn that Hoggle. Now he _had_ to take credit for bringing Sarah to the labyrinth, something he wasn't excited about. He stepped in front of her and brought out a hand to take one of hers, "Don't misunderstand. I may be a guardian, but that doesn't imply that I need your help."

He paused for a moment. He was beginning to sound like his normal self. He didn't want her to automatically reject the new him, but he wasn't going to change himself completely for her, although the thought was tempting. "I'll rephrase. I wouldn't normally need your help, but I've heard rumors of your power. My abilities are not enough against the evil pervading this land. That is why you are here."

Sarah walked her set path around him and gave a slow nod. At least he was being honest. She'd had enough with traitorous people. He might've been harsh, but he was telling it like it was. She had to admire him for that, "So…"

She started to grin. "…You need my help because you don't have the ability to help the labyrinth?" The whole idea sounded slightly suspicious. Sarah was smart enough to know when she wasn't confident.

Jareth parted his lips and scoffed silently. He refrained from rolling his eyes, knowing it wouldn't make him any better than the teenage girl before him. He was getting real tired of her. Being pretty wasn't enough, but her words were becoming hurtful.

"Again, I would not call on you if you weren't needed. And I didn't even summon you. I only brought you here." He narrowed his eyes at her. It was time to quit being nice. "Be a little more grateful. I won't always be here to fulfill your expectations." He turned his back to her and fingered the ends of his hair.

Sarah felt her cheeks flush with a crimson hue. She reached a hand out to grab his cloak, and then she stopped, "W-where are you going…?" She brought her hands together and found her fingertips brushing over her ring. She always did it when she was nervous or embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I'm just…" She knew she couldn't really finish that. It wasn't like he cared anyway.

Jareth turned to the side and folded his arms over his chest. She sounded like she was finally coming around. He gave a small nod of his head and his eyebrows narrowed. "Continue. I said I'd offer my services when I could. Tell me what you need and I will do what I can to take care of it." He knew he was pushing her along, but he was putting them both at risk if he didn't.

Sarah raised her head and glanced to him. He sounded so serious. Why…? What was the reason? She wanted to ask him so many questions, but she was sure he wouldn't give a straight answer. "Well…" She turned to the door and then back to Jareth. "You said that we didn't have the power to gain access to the city. What do we need to do to get this power? Where do we go?"

Jareth chuckled. She was still having that streak. She should've known she wasn't going to get just the answer. She needed to work for it. She needed to earn it. He shook his head and then lifted his right hand as he pointed toward the twisted veil of trees. "Beyond the forest, there is a door that leads to where an oubliette is located. Rather than going down, you need to examine the other areas. Go someplace you have not gone before." He brushed his one hand over the other and formed a much smaller crystal as he tossed it to her.

Sarah caught it within her palms and when she looked inside, she found a small hand-held mirror. The design on it made her think of the one that was in the forest. "What is this for…?" It was lovely. It looked like an average mirror, though, so she couldn't explain what was so special about it. It had yet to occur to her that he'd just created a crystal out of nothing.

Fortunately, Jareth relied upon Sarah's ignorance. If she was going to stay easily fascinated, he was going to have to help out a lot. He shook his head in disbelief. Imagine it, the one who was once the most feared man in the Labyrinth was being controlled at the whim of a young girl and her even younger brother. He still had his pride as the Goblin King. Whatever it took, he was going to take his power and authority back. He was willing to go as far as necessary.

"It's a mirror, clearly. In times of dire need just look into it. I'll be able to see you, and you'll be able to see me and I'll come help you. Of course, if you don't, I may not be able to keep an eye on you."

He reached into his cloak and withdrew a mirror identical to Sarah's. The only difference lied in the idea that his initials were carved into the top by where the glass began. If Sarah had paid close attention, she'd notice the small detail on hers as well. That was unlikely. "I have one also, just in case. Keep in mind that it's not my obligation to watch over you. Let's avoid depending on me as much as possible."

He hid his mirror back within his dark, flowing clothing and arched an eyebrow as he watched her. Jareth was beginning to wish she'd be a little more rebellious, like she had been those few years ago. She made things exciting then. "Any further questions for me?" That mocking smile returned to his face and for a moment, he looked almost as he had when he and Sarah had met for the first time.

When Sarah's eyes met his face, she found herself speechless. He looked just like the man from her dreams. Nightmares. In that moment, those were the same. She knew it wasn't possible, but the feelings were conjured up again. Time froze, or at least it seemed like it did. Suddenly nothing else mattered to her. Even the numbing pain in her hand vanished. She'd clutched the mirror so tightly that it caused her hand to tremble. She didn't really care how frightening he was trying to be. Her curiosity had taken over. Normally she never would have thought of confronting him unless she felt she was forced to. He'd given her the chance to ask more of him, and she knew she had to take it.

She reached out her free hand and pressed it to his chest, "I want to know why you're helping us. Who are you? You have to tell me!"

Jareth took a couple steps back. His arms fell to his sides and after a moment, he lifted his hands, as though to ward her off. He certainly had not expected any sort of reaction like that, "What do you think you're doing? Take your hand off." His left hand reached for hers and then carefully drew it away. Then he placed his other upon his hip. He shook his head slowly as he stared down at her. She was so beautiful, so innocent, and so pure. If he had been naïve then he wouldn't have had a problem falling into those hazel pools called eyes. However, he was not as young as he had once been. He could no longer act as foolish as he had in the past.

Sarah shrank back, disappointed that he had reacted so coldly towards her. Had he seemed a little more interested in her, maybe she would've felt better. She'd only wanted to know who he was. Was that such a terrible thing to ask? How could anyone be so secretive? She finally decided after a few moments that she couldn't get hung up over it.

"Just tell me who you are. At least give me a name to call you. I don't want to refer to you as "guy", so give me your name and I'll stop harassing you."

He eyed her wordlessly a few moments and then gave a small and idle shrug. He had to improvise a name. For as long as he could remember he had been called "Jareth". He'd never met anyone else who shared that with him, so he grew to have a very distinct taste of individuality. Given the circumstance, he had to fake a name when he was perfectly content with his current one. He understood, though, and as he was trying to stall her and escape answering, he finally came to a conclusion. He sighed dejectedly, raising his arms again to cross over his chest.

"Very well. If you must call me something, then refer to me as "Jei". I won't be answering anymore personal questions now. When your journey is complete, you may ask me anything you wish."

Sarah tilted her head to the side, her dark brown hair falling over her shoulders.

_Such an interesting name._

Then again, everyone in the Underground appeared to have a unique name. Everyone… except her. She almost felt out of place, and then she remembered what she was meant to do. She suddenly straightened out her composure and looked around before turning back to Jareth, "Where are Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus? Where have they gone? What have you done to them?" Her voice grew accusatory and her eyebrows narrowed at the blond-haired young man.

_Now she finally comes to her senses. She could've done this before protesting that I give my name._

He lifted his left hand and pointed to the forest, in the direction where the three had gone, "You fainted and the others went to bring you some water to revive you. I decided that I didn't really want to wait around, so I woke you up myself." He was giving Sarah's cohorts more credit than they deserved, but he figured it was giving him a better public image. He brought his hand down and then glanced to the forest, "I can't imagine what's taking them so long. The dwarf seemed rather reluctant to go. I'm certain he managed to convince the fox and the yeti to eavesdrop on us." Jareth shook his head, almost in disbelief, as a faint chuckle escaped his lips.

Sarah walked past him in the direction of where he had pointed. She knew… or was at least reasonably certain… that they hadn't left her there. "You have no right to say anything about them. You don't know them. It'd be wiser for you to hold your tongue, Jei."

Her eyes fell to the ground. Her tone was so serious, she almost felt bad for saying it. She'd never taken such a rebellious attitude with anyone except her stepmother. She was never even that cold to Jareth, and against the Goblin King, she'd been like an eternal ice. She almost apologized, but then she bit her tongue. If he didn't like it, he was just going to have to accept it anyway.

Jareth took a couple steps back from her. And that was his cue to leave. He'd always remembered that she had a shrewd tongue. For some reason, though, it caught him by surprise. She finally had some kind of grasp on reality. Jareth knew it was going to be much harder to manipulate her this time. He was inwardly smiling to himself. She was going to be worth the trouble. If only he could get her to be his Goblin Queen…

He just had to play his cards carefully and not let her get the best of him. He was going to do whatever was required. His determination was surely going to his head, but he maintained control of the situation.

He vanished into the air before speaking a final time, "Remember what I have said. Go to the Labyrinth. Surely you will find someone or something that will be of aid. Until we meet again."

Sarah turned quickly and hesitated when she realized he wasn't there. "What…? Where did he go…?" She brushed her fingertips over her ring. She'd been hoping he would stay around. Hoggle was right. He knew what was going on. And if he didn't then he certainly was a convincing actor.

_I didn't even get to tell him my name…_

Then again, he hadn't even asked, so perhaps he didn't care. She gave a small sigh and then she thought of her friends again.

_Where are they…?_

After Jareth had disappeared, the other three returned to Sarah's side. Although they had been watching the entire time, they still had no idea whether Jareth should have been considered an ally or a foe. He never attempted to hurt Sarah, but there was still uncertainty. If he was a good person how come he wouldn't join them?

Those and other questions of the like raised in Hoggle's mind. However, he knew that if he started thinking now, he might never stop. In spite of what the others thought, he had no desire to lose himself.

"Sarah!" He was relieved to see that she was back on her feet. He'd been concerned when he'd left, afraid that the strange man would cause harm to her. Of course, after watching the two from afar, the 'Jareth suspicions' crept in once again. That man had used crystal balls to manipulate matter. Hoggle was certain only Jareth had the power to do that. So… who was the other man?

When she didn't respond, Hoggle glanced up to her. Her face was flushed with color and her eyes grew glassy. The man had said or done something to make her react that way. Something… that Hoggle had failed to see. His eyes followed her gaze to the lovely mirror within her hands.

_A present…? Does she have some kinda sentimentality towards that thing?_

He tugged upon her the bottom of her blouse and then on the pants she wore, "Sarah?"

Sarah brought her attention back onto him and a smile flashed across her face. Her fascination with the mirror and Jareth had temporarily vanished. After all, she knew what they were going to do. She knew where they needed to go. "What is it, Hoggle?"

Then she looked between the three, remembering what Jareth had said about them getting water for her. She raised her arms to fold them over her chest as she gave a sigh. "What took you guys so long? How hard can it be to get water out of a well…?" She shook her head in disbelief.

_Maybe Jei was right. They must've been spying on us._

Ludo held out Hoggle's canteen to her. "Ludo bring Sarah water. Hoggle and Brother protected Sarah." He raised a furry paw to point at Sarah's mirror. "Pretty… Ludo like."

_Ah…great…_

Hoggle was afraid Sarah would fall back into her fantasy world. Why did Ludo have to be so naïve? Hoggle scoffed softly as he glanced to the mirror.

_What's so special about that piece of metal? She's so entranced. It's like she likes him or somethin'._

"What's the big deal? It's jus' a mirror. It ain't nothin' special."

Sarah raised an eyebrow at the dwarf as she gave him a playful shove. "Don't get so jealous, Hoggle. I think you should be more grateful to him. He told me where we should go to get access to the Goblin City." She ruffled his hair gently and then handed her mirror to Ludo. "Ludo, you can be in charge of this then. Jei gave it to me. He said he can watch over us when we're in trouble." She chuckled softly. "Of course, we shouldn't need his help that much. We're more than capable of handling this ourselves."

_I bet she's lyin'…_

Hoggle brushed her hand away and his voice became raspy and hoarse. "His name is Jei! Argh!" Hoggle knew he was being unfair. Things might've been different if Sarah hadn't taken a liking to the young man. He'd never seen her act that way towards anyone. She had never even given Jareth the time of day that he knew of. Instead, she acted rather repulsed by the Goblin King. In any case, Hoggle knew he needed to stop before he crossed the line, but he just couldn't put forth effort to change his attitude.

Sarah placed her hands upon her hips and her voice grew a stern tone as she arched an eyebrow. Before she even spoke, her friends sort of knew what was coming. Humans were so easy to read. Usually their body language said it all. "Hoggle, stop it. Are you friends with him or something? Is he your rival?" She couldn't except feel a little irritated with the dwarf. All she wanted to do was go to the place that Jareth had pointed her in. If Hoggle was going to act so ridiculous, she really wanted nothing to do with him.

Hoggle nearly choked. He was flabbergasted! That man? His friend? How laughable! Hoggle had never seen him in his life!

"He ain't no friend of mine. I ain't never seen him before. I jus' don't like 'im, an' you shouldn't like 'im either. He's trouble. I jus' know it." His eye caught onto the bracelet she'd given him. At first she was merely bribing him, but later the two saw it as their bond. Hoggle gave a soft sight. There was no reason to doubt her. "I'm sorry, Sarah. Jus' bein' stupid."

Sarah shook her head slowly and a small smile passed over her lips. Perhaps she'd been too harsh. She needed to watched herself. She raised her left hand and pointed her index finger to the forest. "Don't worry about it, Hoggle. Right now, we need to make a visit to your favorite oubliette."


	7. Chapter 6 The Labyrinth's Nostalgia

**You Precious Thing**  
Chapter 6  
The Labyrinth's Nostalgia

Oubliettes. Sarah had once asked about them, before Hoggle's great scheme to take her to the beginning of the labyrinth. After that it was in turn, just another scheme that was meant to throw Jareth off. Hoggle had replied to her with the explanation that oubliettes were where people got put. And forgotten about. Really, she'd heard it all before. Out of sight, out of mind. It was a real easy way to forget about people when you didn't see them.

Hoggle didn't want to be neglected and even in the labyrinth where many things made no sense, Sarah shared in the sentiments. To be forgotten was almost worse than dying, which to most people meant something entirely different. It was no big surprise that the moment Sarah had announced they would be headed to the dark abyss Hoggle was up and ready to take his leave.

"Let the shadow fall. It ain't goin' to hurt nobody!"

"Hoggle!" she protested. "Are you always just going to run away? I thought you'd gotten better than that!"

Before he could get too far, Ludo made a grab for him. Hanging in the air as the yeti held onto the back of his shirt, Hoggle made a series of angry swipes through the air. The attempts were fruitless, however, and after a few more struggles, he stopped and slumped over.

"Fine, fine," he sighed in painfully apparent disbelief. "I ain't goin' nowhere. Even if I did, you'd prob'ly jus' try to catch me. `m jus' never gettin' a break."

In spite of his earlier insistence, Sarah smiled, "You're right. Come on. Jei said we needed to search the area around the oubliette. We don't actually have to go _into_ it. Doesn't that make it better?" Her lips upturned confidently.

"Sure, because I have nothin' better to do than to explore oubliettes and the "areas" around them," Hoggle replied, not entirely convinced.

Even reluctance was better than flat-out refusal and as far as Sarah was concerned, that was as close to permission as she was going to get out of the dwarf. With a raised hand, she gestured for the others to follow, her insides quivering with anticipation.

**-x-x-x-**

It had been far too long since Sarah had given into the adventurous side of herself. Three years in the real world did that to a person, though. Realism sucked out imagination and dreams and she'd always hated that. She wanted to be younger for just a little bit longer, and when she got to see Hoggle and the others, she felt like she could hold onto those juvenile things. They wouldn't last forever, she guessed, and staying in the labyrinth meant there was a possibility of not aging. Even if she stayed, though, there was the idea that she'd miss Toby and the rest of her family. Even her stepmother who she disliked with a fiery passion.

There was also the distinct possibility that Jareth would just turn her into a goblin and that sounded less than fun. She hadn't even seen Jareth, though. Clearly he was around, given the mirrors, but he had yet to show himself. He saw everything that was happening in the labyrinth, which meant he would have known the moment she'd returned. And he hadn't come to see her at all.

_I'm almost hurt._

She pouted briefly and it vanished when she fingered her ring. There was that other guy. The one who called himself Jei. He _did_ look a little like the Goblin King. They had to be related. Maybe Jareth had a brother, too? She'd hadn't seen one in her last visit, but who knew how time passed. What was only three years for her could have been far more for those of the labyrinth. She suspected she'd never have an answer to that unless she asked Jareth. For he knew everything, or at least made it seem like he did. And if he didn't, as she suspected was the case, she wanted to watch him squirm.

"And you said we wouldn't have to go in the oubliette, right?"

Sarah turned her attention onto Hoggle and nodded, "Right! Jei said we didn't need to." She paused briefly to correct herself, "Well. He didn't say we _had_ to, so I really don't think we _have_ to. Let's just take the other door that was there."

When no one replied immediately, Sarah remembered that she had been on her own at the time. It wasn't until the helping hands let her down that she'd met Hoggle at the bottom. On second thought, she had no idea what he was doing there. The likelihood that he'd answer if she asked was nonexistent, so that option wasn't even available to her.

She scrunched up her face and sighed, "Oh, right. You guys don't know what I'm talking about, do you? None of you have ever gone through the labyrinth except the time we were all together."

Then she physically turned and stared pointedly at the white-haired dwarf, "But you… You've always known the way. You were really close to Jareth, right?"

Hoggle blatantly scoffed, "Jareth _scares_ me. Bein' close and bein' scared ain't the same thing!"

"You know what I mean." Sarah rolled her eyes, "You know your way around the labyrinth well, even before I came here. Why else would you? Unless you got thrown into every oubliette for making trouble."

"It ain't like that," Hoggle protested. Then he kicked at the ground, "I was workin' for Jareth back then. Figured you already knew that."

Yes, she had. A little, the way Hoggle did everything Jareth told him to. Sure, he'd taken the initiative to betray the man, but his fear kept him in line. Fear was a pretty powerful tool if someone knew how to use it right. The Goblin King was more than adept in that department.

"Then you know about the other door I'm talking about, don't you? Or what if we avoided that trapdoor that leads to the oubliette? What's on the other side?"

Hoggle seemed to appreciate that she'd glossed over his confession. "Well, it ain't like I know _every_ inch. I jus' know a lot. I guess I know what you're talkin' about. So you're sayin' that guy told you to go there, eh?"

She nodded to him sharply, "Right. I can't see why he'd be lying. There are plenty of better ways to throw us off. I mean, it's the labyrinth. We've gone through some really terrible things."

Like the Bog of Eternal Stench. That place was absolutely terrifying, and it had nothing to do with what was in it. Most of it dealt with the smell and the absolute fear of falling into it and never being able to be near people again. How many people were really going to take the time to constantly hold their nose after being around someone who'd been drenched in the swamp goodness? She knew she wouldn't have, which meant it wasn't going to happen. Probably.

"I really still haven't the faintest idea what you were all complaining about," Didymus piped up. "You spoke horrid things of the bog and really, it was simply a bog. Certainly it was not the most beautiful place in the labyrinth, but was it as terrible as you all had heard or had believed?"

"Yes!" the other three chimed in.

Didymus paused briefly and then shook his head skeptically, before turning his feet into the sides of Ambrosius in order to make him pick up the pace, "Oh, really. I don't know why we even try."

"Oh, it's not like that!" Sarah looked between the yeti and the dwarf and she shook her head. Then she chased after Didymus, but it was too late, because he was already a few too many paces ahead of them.

**-x-x-x-**

The rest of the trip was quiet, which was a surprise. Sarah spent most of the time looking at the things she passed and going over the memories that she'd kept hidden away. They were all of the things she kept from Toby and there were times that he'd asked the oddest questions. He remembered various things, mostly blond hair and differing eyes, the kinds of things that really made her wonder. Jareth had left such a lasting impression on him and she couldn't say she was happy about it. Why would she be? She never wanted to have that conversation with her younger brother, but at the rate he was going, eventually they'd have to have that conversation.

What would she say?

She'd have to own up to all of the terrible things she said. Every day that passed, Sarah felt herself own up to all of the guilt and regret. Children were impressionable. Teenagers were disrespectful and rude for the most part. What if what she'd said to him would carry on far into the future? What if it affected him for the rest of his life? What would she do then? She… honestly didn't know. She hated thinking about it, hated not having a plan, and hated knowing she wouldn't be able to avoid it.

"Sarah…"

She paused when she felt the furry hand take hers and she looked up at him, "Ludo? What is it?"

"Sarah looks worried. Ludo worries, too," he confessed in a somewhat sheepish manner.

A smile crept over her face and she squeezed his hand gently, "I was just thinking. It's really weird to be here. I mean, I'm happy to see you guys, even if the circumstance is bad, but the longer I'm here, the more I'm thinking about everything that happened before. I guess I'm just reflecting over it all. I'm hoping I'm better now than I was back then."

Just because people aged didn't necessarily mean that they'd grown up. She'd learned at least that much. She wanted to think she wasn't conceited any longer, but there was no way for her to determine that. If she tried to look at herself and judge, it'd only be biased. If she asked someone else, it would probably still be biased. There was no getting past it all, she guessed. Sometimes it was better to trust other people than herself anyway.

"You're over thinkin' it. Let's jus' get this done and over with," Hoggle grumbled as the two doors came into view.

He _did_ know where they were going. Sarah guessed he just hadn't wanted to own up to it. Maybe he really _had_ known all about the oubliettes and had seen the bottom of one more than once. Was… he really such a troublemaker, though? In hindsight it didn't seem so impossible.

Her expression brightened when they stopped at the doors and looked between, "So. Which one should we take?"


	8. Chapter 7 His Footsteps

**You Precious Thing**  
Chapter 7 – His Footsteps

"Which door do you think she'll take, Your Majesty?"

Jareth looked down to his goblin companion, one of the smaller of the collective, who had clearly been able to tell that Toby was not the same man as his overlord. It hadn't been easy to completely convince him either. With the same mocking tactics and threads of the Eternal Stench, there wasn't much else he could do to coerce. Still, the goblin, Cullet—as Jareth had learned, had seen something in him that was not seen in the posing Goblin King.

For a time, Jareth remained quiet, simply content to listen to Sarah's shenanigans. The knights at the doors had played with her before. She had not, however, been incorrect with her analysis. Of course, if she'd thought about it, she would have recalled that most things in the labyrinth weren't as they seemed. It was like some massive defense mechanism, guarding the labyrinth from intruders.

And she had definitely been an intruder. But she'd also proven to be an enjoyable plaything. To say Jareth hadn't taken some delight in the events would have been a lie. Never mind that Jareth wasn't against the act of subtle falsehoods.

Still, Jareth could think of worse things than the many oubliettes. Those were more like prisons just to keep the annoying menaces out of his hair. He didn't necessarily have something better to do than reprimanding. It was just more entertaining to make them suffer until they were released, which had typically been Hoggle's job. Given that he had long since betrayed Jareth, it wasn't high on his list of priorities. Great kings did not belong in oubliettes.

No longer being king, though, stripped that obligation from him. He had a suspicion that Toby wouldn't follow that any better.

What was it Toby had said when they met and when Jareth felt as though he'd been split in half? Something about how anything he wanted he simply had to wish for. It must have been the same in that fated moment. At Toby's desire, Jareth's magic, his wisdom, his speech patterns, and everything else had been split. It explained why they were mirrors of one another and why they spoke in such a similar manner. The difference was that Toby had access to a type of slang that was not available in the Underground, and even if it had been, Jareth certainly had no intents of using it.

All the same, Toby had wished to be _like_ the Goblin King, not to become _the_ man, which undoubtedly meant that unlike Jareth, Toby did not pine for Sarah. That in itself was a relief. Although in hindsight, Toby's underdeveloped feelings could have been replaced with Jareth's—something he prayed wasn't the case.

"Your Majesty?" asked the curious goblin at his side.

Stroking the smooth skin of his chin, Jareth looked down to him again, at his tattered clothes and the ridiculous hat he wore, "Yes? What is it, Cullet?"

An honor it seemed to be called by his actual name. The goblin scrunched up his face with a grin and pointed once more to the mirror within his hands. Jareth's mirror, to be more precise, every bit as perfect as the man himself.

"Which door do you think she'll choose?"

Jareth crouched down, listened to his cloak adjust, and stared thoughtfully. "That depends entirely on how her thought process works. If it were the girl from three years prior, then we could logically deduce that to avoid the oubliette, she'll choose the other door. If she has only grown more inquisitive, then she'll wonder what lies beyond the trapdoor and find a way to bypass it. She's already seen fit not to take anything for granted."

He lifted his left hand and gestured with it, wagging the first and second finger back and forth, like a pendulum. The movements were precise and sharp, crisp and accented. "The doorkeepers said one door would lead to the castle at the center of the labyrinth. The other door would lead to uncertain death."

Cullet watched him with awe, his intimidation of his master falling away from his expression. Then he snickered, "You still haven't answered. What do you know of the girl to make that call?"

An eerie smile crept over Jareth's lips, "Well, now. What _do_ I know of her? A woman's mind is complex and not easily pieced together. A younger woman's is even more convoluted." He watched his fingers for a few moments longer, fascinated or perhaps even in love with the way he moved.

Then he rose to his full height and stepped over the barren ground, save for miscellaneous twigs and greenery attempting to survive in the red dirt. A single step and he paused. As he spoke, it seemed to be more of an absentminded rambling to himself, or at the very least, not so much speaking _with_ Cullet, but _at_. "No, she'll know by now that nothing is handed over so easily. If she were to expect anything other, that would be foolish. She'll take the other, brave the trapdoor with her friends, and likely due to Hoghead's—"

"Hoggle," Cullet interjected.

"—Hoggle's great loathing for oubliettes, they will have passed beyond it with no greater thought."

Cullet nodded, as though he understood but with the few moments of silence that passed between them, it was quite clear that he did not and the nod had meant absolutely nothing.

"So then, it is my turn," Jareth began. "You, like so many others would defend that Hoggle?"

There was a clear hesitance he was rewarded with, "It's not that, Your Majesty. Really, it's not. Old habits do die hard and ya've been callin' him the same slew of names since the Red Sun knows when."

"All in good fun," Jareth explained.

And that could have been argued. There was no doubt that Jareth grew overcome with amusement when his ploys worked. He could have said that it was not the act that shook him so, but rather the reaction to it. Seeing Sarah's pout had been one of his favorite things. Seeing Hoggle grow frustrated was another. They were just small things he made notes of and filed away for later. All villainy aside, Jareth was more or less struck by the idea known as temptation, and like any other of his kind, he had a very difficult time resisting it.

He thought about what Cullet had said and remained quiet for a few moments longer. Then he began to stroke his chin again, a bit intrigued by the entire situation, "Interesting. I think there's more you're not telling me. Could it be that you're going to pull a Hoggle?"

Jareth rested his gaze on the castle far off in the distance. He needed every ally he could get. He hated to admit it, wanted to believe he could do everything on his own. He'd never needed to rely on anyone before. On the other hand, perhaps he had and never chose to acknowledge it. The goblins had always done his work for him. Not that he was incapable, as he most certainly was. It seemed less kingly for him to get his hands dirty, so he'd constantly hung back and delegated responsibility to the others.

Now without them… Perhaps he _was_ a mite helpless. Threads of being thrust into an oubliette for eternity or sentenced to the Bog of Stench were empty when they came from a man who was thought to be an imposter. Jareth's normal techniques would not be useful in the least. He would need to improvise, and while he often stayed many steps ahead of Sarah, the same could not be said when he was up against a Toby who had his influence.

In other words, there was a distinct lack of silver lining in his brooding clouds. There was, however, Sarah, and she would be vital if he wanted to make any form of progress. He would need her, more than he ever had before. It would be more than just the simple longing to exist or to be freed from his prison, or even to present himself as her beloved. He would require her in order to reassert himself and his position.

"Cullet," he suddenly began sharply, as though having forgotten all about Hoggle. When the goblin stood at rigid attention, he continued, "What do you think of our opposition, of dear Toby?"

"What do I think? That's a very broad question, Your Majesty. I'd say he's many moons ahead of himself if he thinks he can run in your spot."

"Very touching but not what I was asking," Jareth replied. He raised both ahnds, left them to his hips, and took a single step forward. "His power versus mine. Whose do you suppose is greater?"

"Yours," Cullet answered without hesitation.

And the Goblin King was pleased, "Oh? And what's your reasoning?"

"The way `m lookin' at it, you've had the job longer than he has." Cullet made a series of gestures, all of which Jareth found remarkably pointless. "Experience an' no experience. Speaks for itself, doesn't it?"

"Ah," Jareth nodded once in agreement, "How very true."

Yes, he'd thought the same thing. He knew very well how to use his powers to their full potential. Toby was only growing acquainted with them. Still, one very dangerous thought lurked in the back of his mind. Were Sarah and Toby to cooperate with one another—not an impossibility—then they could overthrow him. It would not be difficult either, especially if Toby retained Jareth's form and abilities.

But he could not let that come to pass. Something would need to intervene to prevent that. Or _someone_.

The sinister smile returned to his face when he glanced down to Cullet again, "I have something for you to do."

"Your Majesty."

"With _him_ at the helm of things, there are prying ears and eyes everywhere. Should anyone determine the man in my place and bring it to the girl's attention, this labyrinth may be done for. You will, for your king and your kind, prevent any such thing from happening. Although I will be keeping watch over the girl and the others, you will infiltrate _his_ forces and ensure absolutely no contact should occur or be attempted."

Then he knelt down and peered into Cullet's face, "If you should somehow fail, I will feed you to that yeti myself. Am I making myself clear?"

A swallow of uncertainty and a gulp of contained nerves later and the goblin nodded, too wise to back away, but not wise enough to know he was being oppressed.

Just like that, Jareth stood once more, but not before reaching to take his mirror. He marveled at the intricate craftsmanship and his smile became less sly and far more amused. "What door, my dear Sarah, will you be choosing? Prove me right, so I might bask in your very center again. For no one seems to know you as well as I do."

And there was no doubt that by the way he knew her, he would use all of his knowledge against her. It was no partnership, simply a king using a so-called common girl—mixed with a splash of denied love.


End file.
